With the help of translator, the then 24-year-old revealed that the club had already given him a welcome present: a custom-made German-French dictionary containing essential football phrases in order to help him settle. It certainly worked – but surely not even Bayern can have anticipated just how big an impact he would have over the following decade.

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There was no sign of that initial timidity once Ribery took to the pitch, however, and just a week after making his league debut the 1.70m Frenchman give a foretaste of what was to come by audaciously dinking the ball over Werder Bremen goalkeeper Tim Wiese to pave the way for a 4-0 victory in August 2007.

"When I'm out on the pitch I just do what comes naturally, I'm like a child," he once said of his playing style. That sense of freedom has served both him and Bayern well. Ribery is now a genuine club legend, having made 353 competitive appearances in which he has had a direct hand in 286 goals (scoring 111 himself and providing 175 assists), as well as winning the Bundesliga, DFB Cup, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup and the Supercup, among others.

Watch:Check out some of Ribery's best Bundesliga goals

In addition to Ribery's pace, unrivalled trickery and fierce will to win, part of his enduring appeal comes from the fact that he makes up half of the famous 'Robbery' partnership with fellow winger Arjen Robben. From 2009 onwards the duo have formed a pincer-like attack very few opposition defences have managed to keep at bay.

That was at its most evident in 2012/13, the season that arguably marked the zenith of Ribery's career. He he played a leading role in Bayern's treble-winning campaign – Ribery's clever back-heel set up Robben to score the winner in the Champions League final - before being crowned UEFA European Player of the Year ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

And it is not only on the pitch that the Frenchman has established himself in the Bavarian capital. He regularly visits his favourite pizzeria with his family in the centre of Munich, and stayed in the city this summer during his break, before going to New York for a few days. "Here in Munich, when people ask me for an autograph or a selfie they're very polite," Ribery told L'Equipe. "They respect my private life. I don't usually say no, but if I do, they don't mind. They're very polite."

Ribery's family made him a special photo cake to mark his tenth year at Bayern

Now 34, his playing days will inevitably draw to an end sooner rather than later and he has been susceptible to injuries in recent years, playing in just 50 of 102 possible Bundesliga games since summer 2014. Yet it is testament to his quality and the regard in which he is held at Bayern that in November 2016 he nevertheless signed a contract extension valid until summer 2018.

"This great club and the city have become my home, both in sporting terms and in my private life," Ribery said when his new deal was announced. "I'm looking forward to a lot more beautiful moments together with Bayern and the fans." If the past ten years are anything to go by, that is all but guaranteed.